DESCRIPTION: Dr. Michaelis is studying the biogenesis of the S. Cerevisiae mating pheromone a-factor. She will explore the hypothesis that a-factor biogenesis may be carried out by a modular or multicomponent "a-factor biogenesis machine. Her long-term goal is to define at high resolution the dynamic events that occur during a-factor biogenesis and to understand how these events are coordinated and regulated.